Spring-wheel.



H. E. HEATON.

SPRING WHEEL.

urmouxon rmm my 1, 1907.

Patented Sept. 29., 1908.

HENRY E. HEATON, OF OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29:, 1908.

Application filed May 7, 1907. Serial No. 372,351.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, HENRY E. HEAToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oroville, in the county of Butte and State of California,have invented certain new and rib, and a wheel portion comprising aninner rim spaced from the before mentioned rib and connected thereto bymeans of alternately arranged spring stripshaving their end portionssecured to the inner rim of the wheel section and the annular rib of thehub section upon opposite sides of the wheel, the end portions of thesprings lying in approximately parallel planes while their intermediateportions are reversely curved.

The object of the invention is to design a wheel of this character whichis simple and durable in its construction and o erates in an efficientmanner to prevent al jars and shocks applied to the wheel from beingtransmitted to the axle and body of the vehicle.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means foreffecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is avertical sectional view through a s ring wheel constructedin accordance wit the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation,portions of the wheel being removed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Specifically describing the invention the numeral 1 designates the hubwhich may be of any a proved construction and is provided with theoutsanding annular rib 2. In the preferred form of the invention thisrib 2 has a hollow formation and is formed from two suitably bent stripsof sheet material, the inner edges thereof being extended radially andriveted at 11 while the outer edge portions thereof are extendedlaterally in opposite directions to form the flanges 3 which are securedto the hub. The body portion of the wheel comprises the inner rim 4 andthe outer concentric rim 5 connected by the spokes 6. The inner rim 4 isreinforced and protected by means of a sheet metal casing 7 appliedthereto, the said casing being approximately U-shape in cross sectionand the two arms thereof fitting against opposite sides of the rim. Thiscasing 7 is preferably formed of two strips of sheet material which areriveted together at 12.

In order to bring about a resilient connection between the inner rim 4of the body portion of the wheel and the outstanding rib 2 on the hubspring members 8 are employed. In the present instance these springmembers are in the nature of alternately arranged spring strips, eachstrip having one end thereof secured to the rim 4 on one side of thewheel while the other end is secured to the rib 2 on the opposite sideof the wheel, the two end portions of the strip lying in approximatelyparallel planes while the intermediate portion of the strip is reverselycurved. With this construction all sharp bends in the spring members areavoided and at the same time the said members are so disposed as topermit relative movement of the hub and body portion of the wheel,thereby tending to absorb all sudden shocks and jars and prevent thesame from being transmitted to the axle and body of the vehicle. Inorder to protect the springs 8 from dust and rain guard members 9 may beutilized which as shown on the drawing are in thenature of platesapplied to opposite sides of the wheel, the central portion of theplates being secured to the end portion of the hub while the outerportions are inclined inwardly and have their eripheries connected bybolts 10 passing oosely between the spokes 6. It will thus be apparentthat the guard plates 9 do not have any direct connection with the bodyportion of the wheel and do not therefore interfere with the free actionof the spring members 8.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a spring wheel, the combination of ahub, a hollow annular rib uponthe hub and formed of sheet material having the edges thereof extendedoutwardly to form flanges which are secured to the hub, a body portioncomprising an inner run, a remforcing casing of U cross section appliedto the inner rim, and

spring strips connecting the inner rim of the I lying in approximatelyparallel planes While body portion of the Wheel to the annular rib theintermediate portion is reversely curved. 10 of the hub, alternate stris being arranged in In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature a reversemanner and eao of the spring strips in presence of two witnesses.

having one of their ends secured to the rim HENRY E. HEATON. [L. s] uponone side of the Wheel While the oppo- Witnesses:

site end is secured to the rib on the other side DAVID DANIELS,

of the Wheel, the end portions of the spring WILLIAM W. ToLAND.

